Three-dimensional forms and method for making the same



vOct. 9, 1962 FRUCHTER 3,057,099

THREE-DIMENSIONAL FORMS AND METHOD FOR MAKING THE SAME Filed oct. 2, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 E 5 INVENTOR.

LOUIS FRUCHTER ATTORNEY 3,057,099 THREE-DIMENSIONAL FORMS AND METHOD FOR MAKING THE SAME Filed Oct. 2, 1958 L. F RUCHTER Oct. 9, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. LOUIS FRUCHTER A TTOR/VEY Oct. 9, 1962 L. FRUCHTER 3,057,099

THREE-DIMENSIONAL FORMS AND METHOD FOR MAKING THE SAME Filed 001;. 2, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 LOUIS FRUCHTER A TIDE/{FY United rates Patent ()flfice 3,057,699 Patented Oct. 9, 1962 3,657,099 TlfltEE-DIMENSIONAL FURMS AND METHGD FQR MAEGNG THE SAME Louis Fruchter, 20 Buffalo Ave, East Atlantic Beach, N.Y. Filed Oct. 2, 1958, Ser. No. 764,860 3 Claims. (Cl. 4134) This invention relates to sculptured three-dimensional figures and to the method of forming the same, and more particularly to such figures made of paper or similar flexible sheet material, as well as to the method of forming and exhibiting the same.

It is an object of this invention to provide sculptured forms or figures made of normally planar flexible sheet material, such as paper or the like, which sculptured figures give the effect of three dimensions in an aesthetically pleasing manner and are capable of being arranged, oriented or assembled so as to provide highly creative and artistic exhibits and composite effects.

It is a further object of this invention to provide sculptured figures or forms of the character indicated with means for mounting and assembling them so as to produce highly desirable and pleasing effects and composite presentations of such forms and figures.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a method for the formation of sculptured figures or forms from sheet material, such as paper or the like, in a simple, inexpensive and effective manner, which may be practiced by young and old alike and by beginners having little or no skill, as well as persons of advanced artistic ability, so as to produce highly creative, imaginative and amusing effects, as well as to provide a highly educational creative activity.

It is an additional object of this invention to provide three-dimensional sculptured figures of the character indicated which may readily and effectively be mounted and arranged to form composite, scenic, or similar representations, displayed or exhibited in an aesthetically pleasing manner and which may be readily re-arranged or altered in accordance with the desires of the user in order to achieve a wide variety of desired effects.

Other and further objects, benefits and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the description thereof contained in the annexed drawings, specifications and claims or will otherwise become obvious. It will be understood that the invention herein disclosed may be employed for other purposes for which the parts, structure and arrangement are adapted.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a composite scene comprising figures of sculptured sheet material disposed within a framing enclosure in accordance with the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a rear elevational view of the framing enclosure showing the method whereby the mounting board carrying the figures is disposed within the frame;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-section of FIGURE 1 taken along line 33 thereof;

FIGURE 4 is a cross-section of FIGURE 1 taken along line 44 thereof;

FIGURES 5-9 are views showing the method whereby the sculptured figures are formed from sheet material;

FIGURES -17 illustrate an alternate form of procedure for forming the figures.

FIGURE 1 illustrates a composite scene designated generally by the numeral It) and formed of individual sculptured figures 1116 and mounted upon a mounting board 17 within a framing enclosure 18. Each of the forms or figures 1116 comprising the composite scene is formed of a sheet of paper or similar sheet material which has been suitably bent or deflected from the plane thereof to produce the desired three-dimensional appearance. The three-dimensional appearance is further enhanced by reason of the fact that each of the sculptured figures is mounted upon the mounting board 17 in spaced relation thereto, as may be more clearly seen from FIGURE 3.

FIGURES 5-9 more particularly illustrate the manner in which the figures comprising the present invention are formed and developed and sculped.

FIGURE 5 illustrates a backing sheet 19 upon which there has been imprinted or drawn the outline of the desired figures to be sculptured in accordance herewith. Said backing sheet 19 advantageously comprises a sheet of paper backed foil, such as for example, paper backed aluminum foil. The backing sheet 19 thus provides a metallic or foil surface 21. The opposing surface 20 of the backing sheet has applied thereto a pressure sensitive adhesive which is temporarily protected by a readily removable protective sheet 22. The backing sheet 19 may be originally imprinted with a plurality of figures in outline as shown at 23 and the portion of the sheet bearing the desired figure is cut therefrom, as by means of scissors 24. The temporary protective sheet 22 is then peeled from the severed portion to expose the pressure sensitive adhesive surface thereof. As shown in FIG- URE 7, the pressure sensitive surface of the backing sheet 19 is then applied to a face sheet 25 of paper or the like, which has been selected for the desired color and texture to be imparted to the figure. The backing sheet 19 thus provides an additional support for the face sheet 25, at the same time providing the outline of the desired figure so as to act as a guide for cutting the figure from the composite sheet 26 for the succeeding steps in the formation of the sculptured figure. Furthermore, the backing sheet 19 being provided with a metallic foil surface provides a substantially moisture-proof and oil-impermeable layer so as to protect the face sheet 25 from the penetration of such materials therethrough, as will more particularly appear hereafter.

The composite sheet 26 formed of the face and backing sheets is then cut by suitable means, as by scissors, along the outline of the figure imprinted or drawn thereon.

FIGURE 8 illustrates the figure, in this case the figure of a cow as it appears in the form of a planar blank 27 after it has been cut from the composite sheet 26. It will be noted that in addition to carrying the outline of the figure to be produced in sculptured form, the backing sheet has imprinted thereon a series of indicia 29 and 30 in the form of a dotted and dashed line, as well as a small black square. The purpose of the foregoing indicia is to indicate the bends to be formed in the planar blank of the figure. The person sculpting the blank deflects portions thereof from the principal plane of the blank along the indicated line and thereby produces the desired three dimensional sculptured effect. Considering the portion of the figure in which the black square 28 appears to be the principal plane thereof, the dashed line indicates that a bend is to be made therealong so as to deflect that portion of the figure forwardly and out of the plane of the drawing, whereas the dotted line indicates that a backward bend is to be made deflecting the blank rearwardly of the plane of the drawing. Thus, the indicia 29 and 30 serve as effective guides for disposing the various portions of the figure by reversely bending the paper blank to achieve the desired three-dimensional effect by the aforesaid deflection thereof. The black square 28 indicates the point at which a small ball of modeling clay 31 is applied and adhered by the application of hand pressure. When the figure has been thus completed and sculptured, it is turned over as shown in FIGURE 8 to present the face portion 25 of the composite sheet 26 to the observer and the ball of clay 31 is adhered to the backing portion 19 of the composite sheet 26 serves as 3 a support means for attaching the figure to the mounting board, as will be more clearly described hereafter.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that the method for forming the paper sculptured figure herein described is readily adapted for use by any novice who is capable of following very simple instructions and handling simple cutting means such as scissors. The arrangement permits the selection of any desired color or material for the face portion of the composite sheet and provides simple and convenient means for indicating the appropriate sculpturing or fiexure of the figure to produce the desired three-dimensional effect in a very simple and easily understood and practiced manner. In addition, the arrangement permits the figure to be mounted by the simple use of a small ball or lump of clay which may be readily manipulated by small children. In providing a foil surfaced backing portion for the composite sheet of the character herein described, the penetration of oils or similar materials from the clay to the facing sheet is prevented by the interposition of the impermeable foil. The simplicity of the method herein described lends itself to the supply of the parts in kit form to enable small children to produce the paper sculptured figures, while at the same time providing the means for the formation of more complex, intricate and artistically mature figures by more advanced students or persons desiring to exercise their creative abilities. In providing for example a kit, the backing sheet 19 has imprinted on the foil surface thereof a number of figures which correspond for example to the figures required to assemble and depict a composite scene. There are further provided a plurality of face sheets of various colors and textures so as to enable the user to select any color or desired combination of colors or textures in accordance with his own personal desires. The indicia for folding and mounting carried by each of the figures provides a ready means for achieving desired sculptured effects, although, of course, it will be understood that the user may, if he so desires, exercise his own ingenuity and creative ability in varying or changing the deflection of portions of the figure. By imprinting or drawing the indicia on the back of the backing sheet, the instructions for folding are effectively communicated to the user without in any way marring the ultimate appearance of the figure when mounted, since the face sheet is in no way marred or disturbed.

An alternate method for deriving the sculptured figures is illustrated in FIGURES -17. The procedure illustrated in said figures is more particularly adapted to situations where numerous or more complex folds are desired and wherein scored lines are utilized in order to facilitate the folding of the planar sheet to three-dimensional form. The procedure illustrated in said figures is more particularly suited to the more advanced persons and in situations where it is more desirable to use a knife in order to achieve the cutout rather than scissors due to the complexity of the figures or the thickness or characteristics of the sheet material employed. As shown in FIGURE 10, a backing sheet 32, in all respects similar to backing sheet 19, is provided bearing an imprint of the outline of the desired figure. Since it is convenient to imprint a number of figures upon a single sheet, the portion of the sheet bearing the desired figure is severed from the remainder thereof as by means of knife 33. Thus, FIGURE 10 shows the portion 34 of an over-all sheet bearing the imprint of a picket fence in the process of being severed therefrom. The protective sheet on the back of the severed portion 34 of backing sheet 32 is removed to thereby expose the adhesive surface thereof and is then brought into adhesive contact with a selected face sheet 35 of desired color, texture or material. There is thus formed a composite sheet 36, as shown in FIG- URE 11. As heretofore indicated in connection with the previous embodiment of the invention, the imprint of the figures upon the backing sheet includes indicia, such as a series of dots and a series of dashes 37 and 38 respectively, which indicate that the figure is to be reversely bent along these lines in order to produce the desired three-dimensional effect. As shown in FIGURE 12, for example, the dashed lines 38 which indicate folds to be made in one direction are then scored by means of knife 33 with the aid of a guide 39. Guide 39 advantageously comprises an elongated strip of metal or similar material of right angular cross section which thus provides a horizontal wall 40 and a vertical wall 41, which act as a guide for the knife and also as a protective guard for the hand of the user. Since the scoring for the bends to be made in the reverse direction must be incised upon the surface of the face sheet 35, means must be provided for locating the disposition of the score lines on the exposed surface of face sheet 35. This is accomplished in the manner indicated in FIGURE 13, wherein perforations 42 and 43 are made at the terminal points of each dotted line as by means of drawing pin 44. The composite sheet 36 is then reversed and the perforations 43 and 44 serve as locating points for guide 39, so that the scored line may now be incised on the exposed surface of the face sheet appropriately located with relation to the scored lines disposed upon the surface of the backing sheet. After the scored lines have been thus located, the figure is completely cut out as by means of the knife and folded along the scored lines in alternate reverse directions. Balls of clay or similar material 45 are then adhered to the black squares 46 by simple hand pressure as shown in FIGURE 16 and the entire figure is then reversed exposing the surface of the face sheet to view and is mounted upon a mounting board as heretofore indicated.

As heretofore stated, FIGURE 1 illustrates the manner in which a plurality of figures of the character indicated are mounted so as to form a three-dimensional composite display or exhibit in a highly effective and aesthetically desirable manner. The mounting means for the figures comprises a framing enclosure 18 which is advantageously formed of a sheet of transparent plastic material. Said framing enclosure is advantageously formed by the vacuum forming process and comprises a face panel 47 surrounded by marginal side walls 48. The side walls 48 are so shaped as to provide a peripheral ledge 49 spaced inwardly from the lip 55? of the side wall. As may be more clearly seen from FIGURES 2-4, this ledge permits the mounting board 17 to rest upon ledge 49 and to complete the enclosure of the frame. In practice, each of the figures is mounted upon the mounting board 17 in accordance with the aesthetic desires of the user by simply pressing the ball of clay carried by the figure against the backing board, thereby securing adequate adhesion for the figure. It should be noted that the ball of clay serves as a spacing element as well as a support for the figure, spacing it from the mounting board so as to enhance the three-dimensional appearance of the figure, which thus appears suspended in the space between the face panel 47 and the mounting board 17. The use of the clay ball permits the figures to be arranged and rearranged as desired and thus permits a Wide variety of effects to be achieved. It has been found advantageous to secure the mounting board 17 within the framing enclosure 18 by means of balls of clay 51 pressed against the back of the mounting board and the lip portion 58 of the side walls of the framing enclosure, as may be more clearly seen in FIGURES 2 and 4. This provides a very simple and convenient method for securing the mounting board to the frame and permits it to be readily removed and replaced as desired. The arrangement thus permits the entire assembly to be arranged and re-arranged as desired and permits the mounting board to be removed for such re-arrangement or for mounting different figures within the framing enclosure.

The use of the composite sheet permits each figure to be readily flexed and formed to produce the desired threedimensional effect. In this connection, the foil material on the backing sheet is helpful in forming and retaining the folds in position.

I have here shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention. It will be apparent, however, that this invention is not limited to this embodiment and that many changes, additions and modifications can be made in connection therewith without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as herein disclosed and hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. A three-dimensional display comprising a plurality of unitary figures of sheet material, said sheet material comprising a backing sheet including a layer of metallic foil and a face sheet of selected color and texture adhered thereto, said backing sheet bearing the outline of the desired figure and indicia indicating fold lines and the location of support means, each of said figures being flexed away from the principal plane thereof along said fold lines to present a three-dimensional appearance, a planar mounting means for said figures, means applied to the surface of said metallic foil at the location indicia thereof for supporting each of eaid figures in selected depth spaced relation to and in releasable engagement with said mounting means, a transparent enclosure for receiving said mounting means in order to form a unitary display therewith.

2. A unitary three-dimensional figure formed of sheet material, said sheet material comprising a backing sheet including a layer of metallic foil and a face sheet adhered thereto, said backing sheet bearing the outline of the desired figure and indicia indicating fold lines and the location of support means, portions of said sheet being fiexed from the principal plane thereof along said fold lines to thereby present a three-dimensional appearance and means applied to the surface of said metallic foil at the location indicia thereof for supporting said figure for releasable engagement with mounting means.

3. The method of forming a unitary three-dimensional figure from sheet material comprising the steps of providing a backing sheet including a layer of metallic foil and bearing the outline of the desired figure and indicia indicating fold lines and the location of support means, adhering said backing sheet to a face sheet to form a com posite sheet, flexing said composite sheet along said fold lines to produce a three-dimensional effect and securing support means to the surface of said metallic foil at the location indicia thereof for releasable engagement with mounting means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 720,820 Kraus Feb. 17, 1903 1,143,636 Lemassena June 22, 1915 1,259,787 Segall Mar. 19, 1918 2,153,663 Foster Apr. 11, 1939 2,382,231 Katz et al Aug. 14, 1945 

